Via Zoom: Alex Heller’s ‘The Year Between’ at 58th Chicago Intl. Film Fest, Oct. 14 & 16, 2022

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CHICAGO – A filmmaker’s feature debut is a special moment, made more special when the debut takes place in the filmmaker’s Chicagoland roots. Ms. Alex Heller screens “The Year Between” at the 58th Chicago International Film Festival (CIFF) on October 14th (8:30p) and 16th, 2022. For ticket and more info, CLICK THE YEAR BETWEEN.

Alex Heller wrote and directed her feature film debut, and portrays Clemence, a college drop out who is diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Although such mental conditions are hard to capture in storytelling, Heller as Clemence is a marvel, coming home to torture her parents (Steve Buscemi and J Smith-Cameron) and siblings (Emily Robinson and Wyatt Oleff) as she works through the affliction.

Writer/Director/Lead Actor Alex Heller in ‘The Year Between’
Photo credit: ChicagoFilmFestival.com

What is most remarkable about the film is the inherent humanity, and the moments of absurdity when working through an issue of the mind, along with the difficult sorrows, pharmaceuticals and doctors. Each of the supporting characters contribute to Clemence’s ordeal as she bounces off them, but the resilience of family emerges without being overly sentimental or inauthentic … Buscemi is particularly good at achieving this balance. This is a vivid debut from Alex Heller on both sides of the camera.

In a clip from an interview via Zoom with Alex Heller by Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com, the filmmaker ponders lunch with her character …

By PATRICK McDONALD Editor & Film Critic/Writer HollywoodChicago.com pat@hollywoodchicago.com